Official Publication of the Detroit Federation of Musicians – Local 5, AFM, AFL-CIO Volume 80 Number 2 Keynote Q2, 2017 What is TEMPO? Why does it matter? AFM International President Ray Hair addresses the membership, page 12. Member Newsline, pages 6–8 New Members, page 14 Home of the Pros Special Annual Event Special Features in This Issue Local 5’s 30/50-Year Party honors • AFM International President members who have achieved Ray Hair presents the ins and outs 30. 50, 70 and 75 years of of TEMPO, page 12 union membership • Patricia Terry-Ross, Rick Robinson MONday, MAY 15, NOOn–3 PM featured in “Member Newsline,” CLUB VENETIAN, pages 6–8 MADISON HEIGHTS Keynote 2nd Quarter 2017 LIVE Links to What’s in This Issue The Music Stand . 1 MusiCares for Music People . 13. WindWords . 3 Welcome, New Members . 14 Going Away Temporarily? . 5. Member Directory Info . 15 Member Newsline . 6–8 How to Stay in Good Standing . 15 Membership Survey . 10 DFM Referral Gigs . .16 Detroit Musicians Fund . 10 Comedy Corner . 16 Raise Your Voice With TEMPO . 12 Local 5 Support Line . 16 TEMPO Contributions . 12 Executive Board Minutes . 17–19 About eBilling Notification . 12 Important Life Insurance Info . 19 Local 5 Contact Info at a Glance . 13 Closing Chord, featuring obits of Staying Current on Local 5 News . .13 Vince Consiglio, Phil Dikeman . 20–21 Calendar of Local 5 Events Our Advertisers Local 5 Office Closings • Monday, May 29: Memorial Day These fine folks helped bring you this issue • Tuesday, July 4: Independence Day of Keynote . Your support will assure their May 15, Monday continued advertising . 30/50-Year Party at Club Venetian, noon-3 pm Bugs Beddow . 10 July 3, Monday Detroit Musicians Fund . 11 Due date for 3rd quarter dues Johnny Rodriguez . 13 July 14, Friday WSU Music Department . 9 Closing deadline for 3rd quarter Keynote materials The Music Stand by George Troia, Jr. Local 5 President Dollars and Sense “Money, Money Money ... Money, Money” “Some people got to have it, some people need it, now give me money, that’s what I want, money don’t get everything it’s true. What it don’t get I can’t use… Money, money, money, must be funny…” Lyric Credits: “For the Love of Money,” An- thony Jackson, Kenneth Gamble, Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff; “Money, (That’s What I Want),” Barrett Strong, Berry Gordy; “Money, Money, Money,” ABBA. s you probably surmised, the topic of money will be Athe focus of this offering of “The Music Stand” and, as usual, songs come to mind as quoted above. For me, numerous performances with the Philly soul group the O’Jays and their closer “Money” comes to mind, but also the Barry Gordy-Barrett Strong’s “Money (That’s What I Want)”, also recorded by the Beatles, and finally, the ABBA Secretary-Treasurer Sue Barna Ayoub and President George hit, “Money, Money Money,” resurrected for the Broadway Troia in the WDTK studio on Kim Mandley’s Union Members smash Mamma Mia. All share themes of the needs, desires, Radio show, March 26,2017 . The show airs every Sunday and pitfalls of having or not having enough money, which from 7 to 9 pm at 101 .5 FM, 1400 AM . leads me to some thoughts on the condition of the Ameri- can Federation of Musicians’ Employer’s Pension Fund since 2012. They vary from contract to contract, with the (AFM-EPF). I will also inform you of the outcome of our highest rate at 12.99 percent, but none basically lower than March 20th Annual Meeting, which also has monetary im- 10 percent. plications for our Local. And lastly, I will invite you to at- I feel this is important to ensure that new money finds its tend our annual 30/50-Year Party on May 15. way to AFM-EPF, as we saw with the new Sound Record- ing Labor Agreement negotiated recently by the AFM. DFM Annual Meeting Also, a big thanks to our By-Law and Scale Committee A big thank you to the 35 members that attended our members, Susan Barna Ayoub and Paul Onachuk (both com- March 20th Annual Meeting. Two resolutions were passed, mittees), Gale Benson (By-Law Committee), Al Ayoub and which will help us in our ongoing work to update the By- Al Mackenzie (Scale Committee), and Sachs and Waldman Laws to reflect more of what is happening in our local. The attorney Mami Kato. All efforts are very much appreciated. meeting also voted to adopt our new price list, which will raise scales and confirm our Local 5 pension contribution December Letter From the AFM-EPF rate to 10 percent. As many of you are already aware, we AFM members who are also participants in the AFM- have bargained for and received raises in pension contribu- EPF received a letter in December addressing concerns tion rates for most of our collective bargaining agreements continued on page 2 Keynote u 2nd Quarter 2017 u 1 The Music Stand, continued from page 1 Keynote that they have received from members Years ago, I remember sitting with Editor across the country about the health two older section mates that I respect- George Troia, Jr. of the fund. The fact that the trustees ed and enjoyed working with. When Managing Editor were being transparent in their report- retirement came up in discussion, they Susan Barna Ayoub ing has raised more questions, both lo- quipped that Social Security would Graphic Designer cally and nationally. I will not try to probably not be around when I was Virginia L . Hunt speak to all the concerns simply be- old enough to get it. Produced via cause not everything has come to pass Well, I’m looking at my full retire- Adobe Acrobat Pro that can influence what will happen. ment age and Social Security is still Published by Detroit Federation of Musicians The full letter can be read on the here. From what I have read, the trust Local 5, AFM-EPF website (www.afm-epf. itself is solvent until 2026, but I also American Federation of Musicians org), if you have not read it by now. read it will keep paying if people con- Keynote Ad Rates The most pressing issue addressed by tinue to pay in. There are other predic- Full page $225 .00 the letter is that the fund is currently tions about how much Social Security 2/3 page $155 .00 paying out more in benefits than it is will pay, but the fact remains it is pay- 1/2 page $120 .00 taking in due to people living longer ing. The prognosis for our AFM-EPF 1/3 page $80 .00 and more musicians retiring. Yes, some with its current structure is given a 1/4 page $60 .00 1/6 page $40 .00 musicians can and do retire! longer life of viability, perhaps 20 years 1/8 page $30 .00 Probably the most significant rec- out, but again, if employers are paying 25% discount to members ommendation of this letter was near into it, it should sustain some level of All ads must be the end, which advocates for diversity equity. Defined benefit plans like ours union compliant. in how you plan for retirement. Early guarantee a certain amount based on a Call for rate card and full details . in my working career I was given the multiplier, which is now at one dollar Materials deadlines: January 15, advice to think of retirement savings per 100 dollars earned. It doesn’t seem April 15, July 15, October 15 as a three-legged stool – one leg be- like much until you consider you can’t LOCAL 5 COMMITTEES ing Social Security, the other a pension get a dollar in interest on 100 dollars Bylaw Committee: George Troia, plan and a third your own personal from any bank or credit union. Susan Barna Ayoub, Gale Benson, savings. Savings can constitute any- Other questions that have come in Mami Kato (legal advisor), Paul thing from a piggy bank to a compli- refer to the Kline-Miller Multi Em- Onachuk cated investment portfolio. ployer Pension Reform Act (MEPRA) DSO Orchestra Committee: A 401(k) or 403(b) can be great sav- of 2014. This legislation was enact- Robert Stiles (chair), Joseph Beck- ings options and a way to defer taxes. ed to address solvency problems that er, Monica Fosnaugh (ICSOM), Roth options count too, but remem- many defined benefit pension plans Bryan Kennedy, Sharon Sparrow, ber that with a Roth the money is are facing and gives them some op- Kenneth Thompkins considered taxed, which means you tions to address them. The best source Development Committee: don’t pay taxes when you take it out. for questions regarding this plan can be George Troia, Susan Barna Ayoub, However, it also means that money put found at https://www.treasury.gov/, David Denniston, Alonza McKenzie, into a Roth can’t be deducted on your which is the U.S. Department of the Paul Onachuk, Patrick Zelenak income tax filing. Again, let me state Treasury website. There you will learn Scale Committee: George Troia, that these are saving options and not that a fund must show cause and pro- Alan Ayoub, Susan Barna Ayoub, the same as – or in place of – a defined vide a fair rationale for adjusting any Alonza McKenzie, Paul Onachuk. benefit pension plan. continued on page 5 Keynote u 2nd Quarter 2017 u 2 weather, as I did at the top of this ar- ticle, the weather in Michigan during AFM Local 5 the time I was in California was ex- “Home of the Pros” by Susan actly the same as that in Costa Mesa.